Why it works: Lamb and beef match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 896 recipes. Both carry 2,4-nonadienal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Algerian Lamb and Mint Fondue
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the lamb
Slice the lamb into thin strips.
Place the sliced lamb on a serving platter.
Drizzle the lamb with olive oil.
Sprinkle the lamb with chopped chives and sesame seeds.
Make the broth
In a skillet, make a roux with the butter and cornstarch.
Stir in the water until well blended.
Add the wine and beef broth to the roux.
Add the pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.
Place the broth into the fondue pot and place over the heat source.
Immerse each piece of meat into the very hot broth.
Heat up beef consommé or bouillon cube in boiling water.
Alternatively, simmer a large piece of shoulder with onions and carrots for 3-4 hours.
Strain the broth.
Season the broth with salt and pepper.
Add the red wine and boil again.
The broth can be made a day ahead.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 12 of 14 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Lamb | 100g cooked | 294 |
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Sesame | 1 tbsp (14g) | 120 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Chive | 1 tbsp (3g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Meat | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Lamb + beeftop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together896 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
-
Butter + creamtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,516 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Sugar + creamtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together43,450 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).
-
Beef + peppertop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together18,971 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Lamb + peppertop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,165 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Lamb leg meat
- Forms the main protein that cooks quickly in the hot broth when sliced thin.
- Red wine
- Adds acidity and depth of flavour to the broth.
- Beef broth
- Provides the savoury liquid base for the fondue.
- Butter
- Adds richness and flavour to the roux that thickens the broth.
- Cornstarch
- Thickens the broth when cooked into a roux.
The step that matters
Make the roux and blend in the water. Cornstarch must be cooked in fat and whisked into liquid smoothly; if lumps form or it is not fully blended, the broth will be uneven in texture rather than smoothly thickened.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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